An Average Joe. Who Told you That?

Last Update: April 23, 2018

As we get older, people tend to discredit our abilities and our potential. Whether it is your parents telling you to get a job like everyone else (the norm) or an employer telling you that you are not any better than your current position,

I see a lot of people offering the oh so feared statement, "I am just an average Joe/Jane."

Say what?

You are average? Why are you average? Is it because enough people told you that you were average over the years (usually to position themselves as more authority) that you started to actually believe them?

What does average even mean? My observation is that it means many things to many people. Your version of average is likely different than mine...which is different from the next person. And can't your 'average' change ? It certainly can.

Whatever the case, I am here to be the contrarian.

You are NOT average. Far from it.

You are unique. You have an unbelievable amount of potential. You have skills that few people have. You have interests that make you unique. You have quirks. You have idiosyncrasies. You are special. You may even be a bit weird.

But one thing that you are is far from average.

It is my understanding and appreciation that ANYONE can achieve success online. I know this because I have worked with all types over the years. I have worked with truck drivers, teachers, doctors, stay at home moms/dads, nurses, construction workers, office clerks, oil patch workers, veterans, the unemployed, the over employed, students...you name it.

This leads me to the question...

What Makes Us Feel Average?

One thing that I have found is that we all have a bit of doubt about our abilities. I do, you probably do.

This is because we have failed over the years and we have been reprimanded for failing. We didn't get a "passing grade" or we didn't get the job, or we didn't win the game...or we didn't give the right answer. Sometimes we get in trouble for failing.

This creates doubt. A doubt that we are not born with, but a doubt that comes with age and that is influenced by our environment. But the 'average' sensation and vacate your body the minute you tell yourself you are NOT average (because you are not).

Failing is good and completely normal. It is part of problem solving. Failure is the fundamental learning block for everyone and everything we achieve. We are problem solvers and it is solving problems that give us purpose in life.

Think about it.

When do you feel as though you have purpose in life? It is when you solve problems in your own life, and in others? That creates a sense of accomplishment, and it leads to a more abstract skill set.

Now it is your time to solve your niche, solve the process of building a business, solve problems in front of you, fail at it before you succeed at it.... and have a heck of a lot of fun doing so.

So true, Kyle, so true. This is especially a must read for those in their 40's and older.

I have a blog where I help a lot of [eole leave the USA to live overseas. Jobs for Americans in many countries are problematical, and even if available, they often pay ridiculously low wages.

People write me often for help, folks 40, 50, even 60 or more years old and cry on my shoulder about how they can't find a job, so they can't live where they want to live.

When I ask them about their skills they often respond with, "Well I really don't have any skills."

This sort of mental attitude drives me crazy. It's utter nonsense. Anyone 40 years old or more has kept themselves and their family alive for 20 or more years, they have kept a roof over their heads, they have kept themselves alive, out of prison and at least wealthy enough to have a computer or smartphone and the Internet.

That, folks, puts them far ahead of literally billions of other humans who can only dream of successes like that.

If you honesty don't want to make a good situation work don't go back and forth just listen. People are going through a lot whether they rich or poor but it's better to have a good time with the people that's actually around and see the good and. My skill is being a good motivational speaker I love when people give me a look on there life or past. You have to learn from it and move on or back track and let them know what is going on with what you want or need

So true, Kyle, so true. This is especially a must read for those in their 40's and older.

I have a blog where I help a lot of [eole leave the USA to live overseas. Jobs for Americans in many countries are problematical, and even if available, they often pay ridiculously low wages.

People write me often for help, folks 40, 50, even 60 or more years old and cry on my shoulder about how they can't find a job, so they can't live where they want to live.

When I ask them about their skills they often respond with, "Well I really don't have any skills."

This sort of mental attitude drives me crazy. It's utter nonsense. Anyone 40 years old or more has kept themselves and their family alive for 20 or more years, they have kept a roof over their heads, they have kept themselves alive, out of prison and at least wealthy enough to have a computer or smartphone and the Internet.

That, folks, puts them far ahead of literally billions of other humans who can only dream of successes like that.

Now, to be honest, when I wrote down many of those affirmations, I didn't necessarily "feel it" But I know that I have the power to reprogram my thinking. Whatever insecurities and doubts that I have, I can honestly say that I neither thought nor spoke the word "average" when describing myself. There have been times when I felt inadequate in my abilities to build a profitable online business, but never average!

Learning new skills and building my own online business, at my age no less, leads me to believe I’m far from average LOL. Especially when I try to explain what I do to my family and friends! They just look at me and say “whaa...?” The only ones I can have conversations with are my computer nerd son and nephews, haha. Feels kinda great!!!

I can SO relate to this. Not sure what your age is, but probably the same as mine, LOL -- My son is off to grad school and I am trying to reinvent myself so that I don't have to work in an office until the day I die. When I try to explain affiliate marketing to people, especially family, they look at me like I've lost my mind. "sure...." they say, with that patronizing nod of the head -- cracks me up.
Well, we will just have to prove everyone wrong...!
Amy

In Sweden, we have the expression Jante Lagen for people who try to stick out.
Explained in Wikipedia like this:
"Used generally in colloquial speech in the Nordic countries as a sociological term to describe a condescending attitude towards individuality and success, the term refers to a mentality that diminishes individual effort and places all emphasis on the collective, while simultaneously denigrating those who try to stand out as individual achievers"

However, I have always tried to think outside the box and not follow peoples every turn in life.
Be different in other words and doing thing out of my comfort zone.
Doing outside the box or comfort zone is also a problem when we work online with marketing.
Have you tried making a video? ;-)
I have done one, scary.

one has to be careful when you generalise the word average; as a former school teacher I had to admit that some of my students were above average, some average and some below average, we can become experts in some areas but not in all, I still hire an expert to fix my tools. I understand the motivational purpose, but we still have to be realistic and practical; I hope my use of the word average is misinterpreted.

I hire experts for everything, it is the norm. Knowing that we can become an expert at something, moves us away from being average.

Schools define what is "average" based on their own internal ranking system, but what they are doing is conditioning everyone to be the same (or average)

Average means many different things to many different people and different entities. Your version of average differs from that of mine, but also, as you become better at something your average is your current "skillset" if you are constantly evolving, learning and solving problems.

I agree Kyle but I think the more you respect your weaknesses the more you respect the strengths of others. But having a weakness does not necessarily mean that you do not have an outstanding strength.Blending the two could lead to greatness

Hurtful events have a powerful emotional impulse for many of us. These tend to degrade us. Happy times are fun & enjoyable, yet they don't seem have the same ability to empower us for lasting effects.

This community at WA supports us; it urges us forward building our confidence. Whenever I have completed an article or learned a new technique, I rejoice at my new accomplishment. This power-filled reinforcement helps me to believe; I can do this.

I have to remind myself constantly to develop and maintain a good relationship with failure. It is hard, though! I have tried often, I have failed often, sometimes I have "half-succeeded"... It makes one feel average, because all I see are the rockstars out there making big money. It's good to have posts like that help me remember that every "half-success" is still more success than the success you get when you're not even trying...

One of the greatest obstacles for all of us to achieve more happiness, peace, joy, success and affluence is our social conditioning. However, it is important to understand that we could not control those things so don't let your old beliefs shatter your dreams.

It is so great that this community has been built and I have learnt that even when I doubted myself, everyone here were always there to pull me up off the ground and give me a pat on the back.

That is why some of the most successful people known to man have always stated the importance of surrounding yourself with other people who are successful or are hungry to better themselves, the planet and create a better life for themselves.

I know by now that success takes time but if you have a dream and a goal, never give up on that goal no matter what your mind tells you. You might judge yourself based on what other people have labelled you as from the past, but it isn't true right now

#justsayin I know I am not your average Jane.
I will figure it out and I will one day have an awesome business.
Y'all are giving me the tools, training and support. Therefore, If I fail, then I only have myself to blame. If I fail, I will try again until i get it right,
Average, I am not.

You definitely will. Just a matter of time, it is less about "figuring it out" and more about embracing and committing to whatever you are doing.

People get turned off of things when they don't succeed right away, simply because they refer back to things they are good at. Why? It is always easier.

When we are younger, we are forced and required to LEARN new things. Lots of the time because these are necessary skills (walking, running, riding bike, swimming, eating with cutlery even lol).

As we get older, I think choice gets in the way (and the fact we have one), but also the fact that we can tend to resort to being average because our influences tell us that is the right thing to do and it is obviously the easiest natural path as it requires minimal effort.

You are capable of amazing things and I look forward to seeing you continue to evolve and succeed moving forward.

Wow! Way to light a fire in us this morning, or at least me. I’m reading this a little bit late but your words are powerful and I can feel the passion flowing through the message. This is something that is necessary for me today and for those around me. We have to continue to expect more, dream bigger and never settle. Failure is a part of the process. And when you know that end result is success then we won’t become fixated on the battles along the journey. Thank you for This

Thank you for the post. I am definitely no average Jane. Never have been, never will be. I remember this quote from Michael Jordon: "I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Love the post Kyle! So true about feeling average and being told we failed. We should have been told that those were stepping stones through our lives. As Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that don't work." He also said, "I never did a day's work in my life, it was all fun."
Sounds like what you say about everything we do here at WA and having fun doing it.
Marylou

Totally agree... we've been conditioned by society's "rules" that failure is bad, you have to work a 9 to 5, go to school, get a good job, buy a house etc. The good news is that especially if you're an entrepreneur, you get to make your own rules to achieve your goals! What are the new rules you want to set for yourself?

I failed my 11 plus and ended up in a lower class at a secondary modern school. I was labeled a loser. After my father died I went to night college and studied welding, passing with honours. My tutor said I had the potential to study for a degree. I thought he was mad but the idea took hold. I applied to study for an external degree. Everyone expected me to fail. I said 'I will give it my best'.

Now i have two degrees, including a good honours degree' and a post graduate qualification in business studies. I have an IQ of 134. You never know what you can achieve until you try. Failure can be a steeping stone to success. It is called learning by experience. Most people don't fail, they give up.

Kyle, you may not realize it, but this Blog was written just for me! I so needed to hear that this very moment. Thank you. It was sincere and straight from your heart. I really do appreciate that. I'm determined not to be just average anymore. Everyone has a story. My story is not special. BUT...my story Will end better than it started!!! I AM NOT AVERAGE!!!
Thanks again,
Wendi

Such a good reminder, Kyle. One of my favorite quotes is this one from Michael Jordan:
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life."

Bless you kyle for your sincere message of encouragement.I too have also retired and had plenty of time to reflect on how I would have steered my course through life had I had more positive attitudes to my response to all that has occurred in my life until now. I am now learning to gain more confidence and refuse to believe self-doubting thoughts. There is no such thing as an" average Joe" I will continue to tell myself. Thank-you for addressing this issue as it must affect many students as they journey through this course.

I'll be honest with you I really never cared to much when a hater trys to put me under trys to make me lower in society I ignorethem and keep going foward when some one says I'm a average joe that pushes me to go further in life. Because if you sit there and listen to what this haters have to say to make you feel smaller then the rest I just smile and show them im not a average joe. But you do make alot of sense with what you wrote good message thanks

I really love the message what Kyle has mentioned here. We are here to solve problems. Everyone of us has our unique way of solving problem. We are born differently the moment we landed on this earth. No one (even twin) share the same experiences as we and we have different feeling, perception, like and dislike about this world.
Let's use our unique ways to solve those problems we see a need in this world. This will make us feel good about ourselves and move us to the right direction. We will feel peace within us and live in peace with the universe.

I went through a bad time in my junior and high school years. Dad had retired from the military and we moved to a small hick town in Nebraska. We were different from all the other kids and they picked on us a lot. I don't think we ever got past the way they treated us.

I feel this experience helped me to grow as a person and in adulthood I learned I am much better than most of them.

Thank you so much for this positive article and a reaffermation that I am better than what my mind tells me. You have inspired me in so many ways to rise above and trust in myself.

I don't recall anyone ever saying or implying that I was 'just average'. I worked hard to get the education needed to pursue my career choices, but I've always felt that I didn't quite achieve what I expected of myself.

I'm retired now, and often reflect on how differently I would approach things if there were any 'do overs'. To a great extent that is what motivates me here at WA. Sure the income that comes from achieving success online is nice.

But it's mostly the feeling of 'achievement' that is driving me here at WA.

Kyle. Excellent post man. It’s so true. We are not average. Your community has inspired me in many ways and continues to do so. It’s been a life changer for me and has also helped me realize anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work at your passion every day. Thanks for sharing.

In my bio here at WA I say I am average, this is not meant as a put down, I just think I am like many others in that I have a 9-5 job, paying the bills and wanting something more or different.

Certainly not feeling average about my chances of success in my online business. Working through the training here and building out my site has given me real motivation, I see such potential in my site and my abilities to learn and grow.

In school we were taught how to do, never how to make or create. There's a world of difference there. Doing does not necessarily translate to results. But, making results in creating something tangible. That's right, the negative programs we got from our parents and those with big influence in our lives conditioned our minds to the idea that failures make you small and insignificant. So we work hard to earn medals, and citations and how proud they were to see us go up the stage. But, the billionaires in this planet were school drop-outs and we begin to wonder - "what's goin' on here?" :D

This came at the perfect time for me and probably many others.
I know that I'm not average. While there is a lot that I don't know, I DO know so much.
Since I started the SWAG program I've faced one obstacle after the other for eight weeks and I'm sure that some would say there's no way I will succeed, but I know better.
Each time a problem arises I face it head on, shake it off and work as hard as I can again.
I know that I will succeed here and I know what it takes.
Thanks for verification of our more than average worth!

Awesome post Kyle! I know all too well what you mean about family telling you to seek traditional employment over working for yourself. My parents were self-employed for my entire life, yet they constantly tell me to not follow the same path. Taxes and you're responsible for all of your deductions are their constant excuses. They have never worked for someone else, and don't understand there is a serious lack of freedom when you work for someone, stuck at a desk for 40 hrs a week, with little time for yourself unless you have the time available to take off for vacation. My goal is to be successful online so I can enjoy life, and with the training here at WA I know that is possible! Life is just too short to be making someone else rich.

Great inspirational post Kyle, I see the word (average) in the same light as I see the word (normal) everyone's definition varies and I think it is human to have doubts, but you are right we are often conditioned from a young age to get a telling off for not achieving etc and it is hard when it comes from your teachers, Richard Branson is a good example, his teacher told him that he would not amount to anything well we all know what he has achieved and yet there are teachers who help you to soar, this can be said for many of the adults that are around us when we grow up.Failure is part of our learning, anyhow my dad says if there were two of me the world would be in trouble so I must be unique lol

Hi Kyle,
Thank you . What you wrote is fantastic and I believe a great message presented on simple words. You wrote very stimulating , encouraging and supporting words . I thank you for this . I always thought big and always set great goals for myself but when I failed I did question my capacity to create what I did try to do . I didn't feel I was different than the average Joe.
Great work Kyle
Marcus

This is one heck of a post, kudos to you Kyle, just love it.
Personally, I never considered myself average or even above but unique as you so precisely have mentioned.

Therefore, my personal quote, now, for many years, is like this
"The hardest thing to be unique is to live in a world who mostly lives on average".

I could go deeper which what I mean by that but it would be a bit too much, anyway, when reading your post people will find their own understanding. In my case, let's say it was very hard growing up and already know you are unique and certainly not average.

The funny thing though, I also never use this therm ever. Therefore reading your post really got my juices flowing. :)
Again, congrats you really nailed it and I take the liberty to post your article on one of my FB sites because it is time that people start to think of themselves to be unique than just average. :)

Hi Kyle
What a timely article. I was only just thinking today that I am determined to succeed at this even if I had seen some 'failures' so far in my blog attempts. But as you say, failures are how we learn, for example, what not to do or how to do something better. Each time I write an article, I think of how I can do it differently. I have realised that maybe my understanding of keywords hasn't been as good as it could be and so I am looking at them in a different way. It's all trial and error and I expect my site to start improving in traffic over the next few months. Glad to have read this article just now as a reminder that failure is not an option here as long as you keep trying.
Ange

Hi Kyle
Glad you are not failing by no means you are unique and
Bring a lot of sense to what your expressing and doing this all
For the sake of WealthyAffitiate .
I think you are a outstanding person.in every way an no one can
Cut you down .because you will always have a common nown
or a peck niche are a blog.Your a special person.
Thanks for a great up lift to wake up to in the morning.
Can I be going in the same direction?

You are totally right Kyle, there is nothing average or ordinary about any of us. Each one of us is unique and as you stated have skills that make us who we are. The thing is getting people to believe in their uniqueness and developing their self-esteem. Thanks for the pep talk,I had flashbacks of being in a locker room with a coach.

At home, in school, in church, in the community these are the places where we are programmed. The worse of them is in school because someone is considered an outstanding student, others are avegare as Kyle said, while others are failures.

If your view in life is something based in school and you happen to graduate without rank and honors you will not be the choice of a company or an institution when you apply for employment.

So we have to change our mind that we are persons with the same opportunities in life and this is what online entrepreneur is. This is the place for everyone for as long as we can communicate through writing we can make life meningful and easier.

When I first entered the internet world I almost believe on the Get Rich Quick Scams and the more I get interested in them the more are coming. But what saved me is that I happened to read some review of those from a WA member and my eyes were opened. That was the time I got interested in Wealthy Affiliate.

I put my trust in Wealthy Affiliate and I am hoping that my investments will not be in vain.

I have had my doubts for so long. Embraced the great spirit of WA and have learned so much since I joined for a bit more than a year ago. Nevertheless I still had my doubts, would I make it? By the end of 2017 I thought; now something has to happen. I started to concentrate fully on my online business. Have turned everything around, learning and applying like crazy, and I LOVE it!

For a couple of days ago I earned My Very First Commission. Still floating on a high! It's a tiny sum, but it feels like a million. This proofs that it works. If I can make it happen, then everyone can make it!!

Yet again another great post from you Kyle, Thank-You for your support and encouragement, what you offer on this site is more than any other site has to offer. I know that with the support from Kyle and Carson and everyone else within the community here in WA, I just can't fail. Thank-you For WA.

Hello Kyle-- I can relate to what you are saying. Through life I was deemed avarage or sometimes below, then I went for a job where the success rate was only 30%. I got the job and that boosted my morale no end. I had proven I was above avarage in some things. That is how I now look at the world in general.

Thanks for this Kyle and I like how you got me in the last one lol, a bit weird.

You are right though, we are not average, that is if we even know what average is. I wouldn't say I am average as I feel I have a lot of different skills that I have achieved over the years from the jobs I have done and things I have achieved just in life.

It is like people saying they are going to get back to normal, what is normal? Is there even such a thing as normal? Again it is all down to us as individuals.

Greetings Kyle and thank you for the post! read it with interest .
I absolutely concur with you. To add, I believe that people are actually fear success too. IT may sound strange, but its true.
Although I am well educated and have held good JOB positions, big part of me have been on a look out for better things out there for me. Its the lifestyle I crave which has ''freedom'' of choice written all over it. I know you can not achieve your full potential working a 9-5 or more , which by the way most people who work for companies are subject to slave labor , one way or another.
Altogether, I am going with the plan here....
One question, which maybe absolutely stupid...with blogging and putting content pages on websites....I do feel a little out of my depth, only there are the professional web writers out there advertising themselves to catch the google audience. what are your thoughts on an ''average'' writer like myself , landing this project well and worthy?

Thanks, Kyle -- great advice and something to consider as I struggle terribly with my site and trying to figure out why I'm still on page 22 of Google after a year. So I feel like I am wasting my time at this point, in spite of all the wonderful advice here. Your post reminds me to slog through and see this to it's success...
Thank you.

I completely agree with your post, and I deeply beilive that anyone is unique and more than avarage person if you'll be able to convoy your positive energy and believes and you'll be really inspired on what you want do for sure you're going to achieve the unexpected goals. Thanks again for keeping me on truck and consistently encourage me.

Hey Kyle,
A great motivational and timely post! It again solidifies the belief
that every person is an asset to our society. People contribute
in many different ways and should realize that they do have value. The post validates that fact. Just like the fact that
windows, doors, foundations, roofs, and beams are an integral
part of a house or building, each individual's contribution large or small is a part of the whole. If You and I are considered as
Average, then I say, "Bring it On, I'll Take as Many Averages as
You Can Deliver!" Thank you, Kyle, for motivating me to say that.

Thanks for the kick in the pants, Kyle! It reminded me of my IT days when we were problem solving software issues. If one solution didn't work you look for another one. Same here with our online business. I've tried many different techniques and strategies over the years. The ones that work, I keep. Thanks for the inspiration! Alanna

This part is very true: 'When do you feel as though you have purpose in life? It is when you solve problems in your own life, and in others? That creates a sense of accomplishment, and it leads to a more abstract skill set'.

We are all created as incredible, unique individuals with a special set of talents that we must discover and use. That way we write our story and not someone else's.

Few weeks ago I was doing some research about scamming.
It came to my mind a thought, that those who experienced the scam, who got scammed – that these “victims” are actually much more experienced guys that those who did not.
These guys can write reviews “right from the heart”.

Very successful people (in this sense let’s take financial aspect meaning -> self-made millionaires) they do not fear the failure because they know they will learn and experience something, that the others don’t.

They have different mindset. I strongly believe such mindset can be developed as any other skill.

And Thanks to article like Kyle just wrote, we are developing such a skill.

Thank you Kyle, my friend. You are my mentor and I feel and live your words. Mediocrity is in the mind of the beholder. I know coming in I have felt the way that I am average. Not sure it was I who convinced me or the community I surrounded my self with.

But I always felt I was different and at first I thought that being different had to do with me being "full of it."

Powerful post. Thank you. I think that some people intentionally put themselves in the comfort zone - to be an average person: avoiding challenges, disappointments, efforts, and even fights.
I agree, every person is unique but every person has talents and WA is a place to demonstrate it. It might take time and hard work to demonstrate it and achieve the success but it is possible.

Yes! Don’t let others define who you are, it is you and me who maneuver and control our own steering wheel! Don’t settle for less, aim high because we were created in God’s image. We are special and has the ability to be creative for the best! Thanks Kyle.

Not only is it worth the journey, but the scenery along the way is so much more interesting and fun! Thanks for this inspirational post, Kyle. It's so nice having all this positive energy here at WA! Carol

Thanks for the view in the mirror. I am having difficulty defining what I will be doing in five years because I want to retire soon. I am figuring out what to eliminate and what to keep on doing. I have eliminated real estate and did not renew my license. I did not fit in that frame. I am slowly choosing things I love to do. Writing is one of them, just need to make time for it.

Perhaps you don't know, and that is fine. If you try to define 5 years ahead, it will hurt your ability to remain flexible and malleable in terms of your direction. You can achieve a lot in a month, let alone 5 years.

Keep your doors open, have a rough guide, but don't concern yourself if you have to shift gears and change directions in you path. There are always going to be detours in your path to success.

Today, I needed a bike rack for our car.
I thought, can that rack support two bikes, what if it falls, can I find the right one, can I install it and on and on and on.

I went online, found it using the Thule rack match tool, added to cart, bought it with REI member credits, drove to pick it up and tomorrow I'll install it. Just have to dispel all the limiting beliefs!!!

Thank you Kyle
It is so true that we have been conditioned from the craddle and all through our lives to be the norm and get a job(just over broke),keep our heads down etc to be part of our society that is kicking and crushing us daily.
Yep we are all unique and extrodinary..just have to recondition ourselves.

Well said! It is so true. We need talk ourselves up, instead of putting ourselves down. We accomplish more when we are self accepting. No one is flawless, mistakes are a part of every process in life. We are just conditioned to think negatively of ourselves. But we have the power to change t!
Absolutely awesome post Kyle!
I truly appreciate your encouraging support
@Kyle

My whole life I was told I wouldn't amount too much, EXCEPT my mother, who always would say you can be and do whatever your hearts desire and believe it.

I deeply believe that there are no failures, just ways that do not work for certain situation, challenges, or circumstances, and that it's like putting a puzzle together with all the pieces there and just needing to find the right pieces to continuously build upon!

As with hand and eye coordination so too is the ear and mouth coordination of great importance !

My Father is King of Kings, therefore, I am a princess equally given everything I need to succeed. If I know not, I seek and ask and with the knowledge base of WA, I shall find.

We all are the limitation we put on ourselves through what we perceive how far we can reach!

Look around and see that everything around us, below us and above us including ourselves is far from average as there is only ONE of each of us!! All highly valuable one of a kind being!

Our own websites represent a mirror of ourselves for others to see. Waking up everyday in this mirror we see a growth in the form of guidance and helpfulness from Wealthy Affiliate. These experiences help us project out into our own unique websites something that is far more than average. Thank you Kyle.

All the more reason I want to be an online entrepreneur. We decide how high we want to soar as the sky is the limit and we will reach where we want to go; as long as we never stop flapping our wings. The more we flap the stronger our wings become!

I have throughout my life, learned that failure is the root of growth. As we learn from our shortcomings, we grow. We learn. I have reached some stature in a couple of fields in which I worked. As a mechanic, and as a Radar Tech. Also did well in Real Estate. Have attended many training sessions to help learn that there is no real failure. If you quit, you do not attain all you can. Press forward, ask for help. Doing so you can do anything over time. Thank You Kyle for bringing to the forefront of my mind. Doug

Great post and you are right about failing we do get in trouble for failing only because we have been told that failure is a bad thing and that is our thought belief.

We don't look at failure as a good thing but I guess we could because we fail we are learning an important lesson from it. Nobody ever looks at the lessons that we learn from failing. I guess that is a good thing.

I have always been told that I was average and that I would not amount to anything and that is/was my thought process. That is hard to shake off.

That is why this is so important to me to succeed at because then I won't be an average person anymore and that I have made something out my life.

I did not mean to rant about this, but this is something dear to my heart. In terms that I have improved my life and still improving on it.

LOVE this post, Kyle! And we ALL need to hear this, every now and then ... and remind ourselves of this often.

I love being a part of this amazing community, with so many who are "at bat" for you and truly like to help when you're stuck with something.

We develop a sense of accomplishment each time we take a few baby steps OR a big, GIANT step and see the results! And, yes, if we fail, we just need to pick ourselves up and start again!

Each of us is unique and you're right, we are not average. We do not accept the status quo! That is just too mundane. So, who wants to be "normal?" LOL! We are above average, and thank you for this delightful post! : )

Great post, Kyle. No one is born to be "average". We all have talents and potentials that are given. It becomes our interests.it's our duty to work on and maximize them to the limit. Like a seed that we should nurture, watering, and fertilize to watch them grow and be fruitful.

I believe everything happens for a reason and with a purpose. With that being said, I needed to hear that. Thanks Kyle for perfect timing.

We were not created to just get by with an AVERAGE, unrewarding, or unfulfilled life. We are created to leave a mark (Your mark, whatever that is) on this generation at this appointed time ~ Joel Osteen

People that are afraid to fail never succeed failure is good it helps you learn.
Normal or average people call me weird I call normal and average people weird.
Normal and average people follow the pack Weird people LEAD the pack be weird be unique and don’t be afraid to let the world see it.

Thanks, Kyle.
I guess I'm worse than average at work. Quite often I get punished for my failures when I work for companies, and eventually I become "institutionalized" to the system, and I become the "average" person at work, not being able to achieve more, nor even being motivated to achieve more anyway. But working for my own business is different, of course I have to take the blame and live with the consequences, but more importantly, I also have to learn from the mistakes and move forward.
One thing I like being a member here is that, I find encouragements and inspirations in the community. Whenever I feel stuck or demotivated, I just come and read some posts from other folks, then quite often I feel a lot more motivated.

This is very true, we are what we think we are and what we tell ourselves.
It is so easy to be negative about things, often we tell someone that they have done it the wrong way, when in fact if they accomplished their goal, it might have been the right way for them and even better than our way, unfortunately, most do not see life that way.

What a prolify read filled with the reality of life. Thank you for bringing it forth. From the very first day when we breath that first breath, we were centered into a world where bullies dwell, and they were waiting to see what young innocent life to destroy. Yes
It all started from home,school then work.

Growing up from infant to adulthood, we all learned to believe what others felt or said about us, many didn't have a way to escape, making it difficult for them to think of themselves in a positive way.

There are many people living in this world like a lost sheep, because no one never told them that they was better that that, or you can do it, or you can be what you want to be in life. So, these people got lost in the shuffle.

Bullies are every where, they are the people who didn't get the benefit of the doubt, yes, they are the ones with very low self-esteem. They are the ones, that, find ways to make other people lives as wrecked as their own.

Kyle, with all of that being said, I am a person within the community not to just make money, but to help those people to make money and to help them to travel their journey knowing that there are good people who believe in them and love them for who and whatever their case maybe.

I really appreciate you for elaborating on a sensitive subject that many people don't talk about but carry the baggage and remain miserable.

I know I am failing in my attempts at making my site. But I don't want to surrender since two of my sites are already going to a one-year-old maturity.
Traffic not increasing, affiliate programs not gaining, Adsense is stagnant. I'm at a loss.
If I am going to sell my sites I doubt if it can pay back my monthly premium expenses for one year.
I am just giving hope to myself that one day I could find that one step that will start to open the income funnel and I will shout to the world that WA has taught me this.

I've found that sometimes when you get "writer's cramp" or something like it, it's good to back up and start with a clean slate and new eyes.
It's work, but for me it has worked quite a few times.
Also take some time off (it doesn't have to be a lot), relax, let your creative mind wander. You'll find you come back refreshed and everything looks different "in the daylight"!

You are soooooooooooo right. We are "individual", only "one of us", therefore we are "unique". With a lot of tools and resources in our "bag" of knowledge that we acquire on our path through life. We must be grateful and share this knowledge with those in need.
Great post Kyle.
Thank you.

Very honoured to have a coach like you, Jay, and many others on here.. There is no doubt you have known this stuff for some time and is what helped you make the grade.

This is the mind that brought me into Wealthy Affiliate. At the time I had been delving into the makings of an entrepreneur (and still do) the time was ripe for me to have found a place like this.

School, employment, television, mainstream entertainment, sports - I just couldn't get into any of it.. I was not made for that and back in the mid '70s, began to search - a journey that took me 2000 miles from where I lived. I just could not do the standard stuff and do what everybody else did. Even the music I was listening to was off-beat to the popular...

Schools are the systemic issue in my opinion with the way people act, and what they accomplish. They are not geared towards people innovating in most cases, they are geared towards teaching within the boundaries that they set.

These create an "average" work force, and average subset of education, and as a result you have an abundance of people out there that are not only thinking they are average, but achieving no more than "average".

Be great at one thing. Solve problems in the space, with consistency. Never take no for an answer. And embrace every single failure in life with the idea that you can conquer it, instead of how can you avoid it.

I do concur. If it is out of the ordinary, radical, off-beat, contrary, and seemingly ridiculous or insane, compulsory education protocol is to discourage it - and with it, creativity that brings about change in existing systems.

The Chocolate Watch Band, The Lemon Pipers, The Deep, Ultimate Spinach, Country Joe & the Fish, Notes from the Underground, The Cellar Dwellars, Sattlesore, and many others - and of course, we can't forget the "regular" stuff like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Cactus, The Velvet Underground, The Fugs, The Zombies, The Headstones, Iron Butterfly, The Zachary Thaks, The Animals, The Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Kasenetz Katz,

Oh, by the way, you might like The Kinks' version of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else. For many years, the CWB version was the only one I knew.

These songs have a haunting aire about them from the turbulent times these artists expressed.

There also was a genre of music in the 1960s called "sunshine music." the above "Lemon Pipers" some of their music fit this genre as well as psychedelic. Purely sunshine, the band, The Sunshine Company put out the following song which portrays how adults lose creativity ( but don't have to.) and can learn by observing children.

That means a lot to see such an article written by the CEO of the company!That does prove we are special in your eyes, Kyle. With all our doubts and insecurities, and procrastination- it's a totally new sphere for most of us.
Thanks a bunch! You are really special! :))
Vera

7 Billion people in the World and all different. No one is the same. There is no real average. A baby is born, then learns to crawl, then walk and talk.
It is only as they get older that they learn from others how to be negative.
As we grow we choose our way of life.
School should be teaching more than the ABC, they should teach how to be positive with the ability to progress for a life of wellbeing.
Thanks for your time, Tom Short.

Agreed. We first learn predominantly from our parents or caregivers, but then as we grow up we learn more and more from our surroundings. Of course this is going to be different for everyone, so what we "think" we are capable of achieving will be based on this.

Limiting beliefs will perpetuate the more the circle around you tells you achievement is not possible. The problem with this mentality is that you will never solve new problems, you won't learn, and you won't evolve. That is the foundation for normal.

Great post , Kyle. An always timely subject.We are indeed surrounded by and bombarded with -negativity constantly. I know I am.......Some is well-meaning (consciously, at least) some......not so innocent. Some downright nefarious. The first step is to recognize it when it rears its head. Not so easy to do sometimes because we just don't believe in it so, we don't hear it but it affects us just the same ........ or we absorb so much of it that we get inured to it; numb to it, and then we buy into what it's selling. Thanks for this...............John T

Yeah, we are all. Everywhere we look. But there is a lot of positivity around all of us as well, it comes down to what we choose to latch onto.

Not to say we can't learn from negativity as well, it helps shapes is, but when it oversteps the ideas that we cannot accomplish things (that are completely achievable), then it becomes a poor influence on our lives.

Wow, what a great motivation booster! Let me tell you, doubt has been strong in my life and it is still with me today. I’ll admit it is what’s more than likely holding me back from truly blossoming here at WA. It is hard to change the mindset that has stuck with me for so long in my life, but if I want to truly succeed then I have to change my mindset and truly believe that I can do this and that I am unique.

Kyle, I very much agree with you, we are unique. I think it will be key to be successful in affiliate marketing having a strong personal self-esteem. Attracting people to me is a Real Challenge. I'm in that.
So far the only thing I could attract is my wife :-)
Very nice your post.

Haha, see you attracted someone. You write in an infectious way, so if you can communicate with your audience in this way I know that you will have no problems helping people, and building trust and a business as a result.

Great encouragement Kyle, For myself, I do not think of myself as "average". I know that throughout my life, I have always pushed myself to be "better" than average. There has not been anything I have not been able to learn and be successful doing so far. I know that if I stick with WA and its training I will eventually be successful in this endeavor also. - shirley

Something that is interesting is what one defines as average will be the benchmark for their success. If you define it as "getting by" then just slightly better than getting by, may be success.

So keep in mind, that capable aspect. You are capable of anything, and capable of achieving anything. It just comes down to learning it, and to do that you need to solve the problem and conquer it (which may lead to encounters of failure).

Failing is part of problem solving, which is the basis for learning. The problem is people are critiqued when they fail (or graded directly or indirectly) and become sensitive to the idea of failure as a result.

You certainly are not average, and your perception of average is surely much higher on the scale than most. You are one of those extraordinary folks within Wealthy Affiliate and it has been a pleasure working with you all of these years.